There are many different applications for floor mats of various kinds. Floor mats are especially common in the bathrooms of non-residential buildings in the form of floor mats disposed under a hand dryer or urinal. Such floor mats are offered as non-slip surfaces to ensure that a user does not slip on any liquids that may have come in contact with the floor mat during use of a hand dryer or urinal.
One problem common to traditional bathroom floor mats is that the floor mats often fail to eliminate the undesirable odors associated with bathroom use. Floor mats for use with urinals and hand-dryers are especially susceptible to undesired odors as the floor mats are intended to shield the bathroom floor surface from such odorous liquids, especially urine. In some traditional floor mats, the urine or other odorous liquid is merely deposited on the floor mat, causing the odor coming from the floor mat to worsen significantly over time. Another problem associated with such floor mats is that a user who steps on the floor mat may unintentionally track any moisture or dirt found on the floor mat to another location exterior to the bathroom, causing additional odors and more areas in need of cleaning.
Traditional floor mats are also inconvenient in that they must be removed from the bathroom floor every time the bathroom floor is cleaned. Because bathroom floor mats often encounter bodily fluids and other contaminants, removal of such floor mats can be unsanitary and burdensome. Additionally, once the floor mat has been removed, it often must be cleaned separately, adding additional time and expense to the cleaning process. Alternatively, if a user does not remove the floor mat before cleaning, the bathroom floor must be cleaned around the floor mat, leaving the floor mat neglected as a potentially dirty, odor producing object.
Traditional floor mats also present a potentially dangerous surface for bathroom user to walk over. It is not uncommon for a bathroom user to trip or stumble over a floor mat, especially if a portion of the floor mat has folded over or gathered together. There is also a significant risk in the bathroom setting that a floor mat encountering various liquids will slip relative to both the bathroom floor surface and to a bathroom user's feet, causing further risk of injury to the user.
One solution to the issue of slippage has been the introduction of adhesive backed floor mats. However, many adhesive backed floor mats are problematic as they leave a residue behind that is difficult to clean or potentially damaging to the bathroom surface, often in the form of staining the grout that may be found between the tiles forming the bathroom floor surface. Many adhesive backed floor mats also present additional problems such as they are not easily removable from the bathroom floor surface, they are difficult to reposition once removed, and they use an adhesive that is not suitable for repeated reapplications to the bathroom floor surface.
One solution to these problems would be to create a bathroom floor mat that is capable of being cleaned along with the remainder of the bathroom in a manner that is sanitary and safe for a bathroom user. One method could be to create a floor mat that is capable of being mopped over with the remainder of the bathroom floor surface.
It is therefore desirable to have a floor mat that is capable of being mopped over, is effective at deodorizing the floor mat and surrounding area, is capable of being securely applied or reapplied to a floor surface without risk of moving relative to the floor surface, and that has a high-traction surface to prevent a user from slipping on the top surface of the floor mat.